MSR Dragonfly Stove Gear Review
MSR Dragonfly Stove
Gear Review
We have had the MSR Dragonfly for a little over a year now. We have taken it on roughly 20 nights worth of trips. Let’s jump into it. It weighs in right at 3/4 of a pound without the bottle and folds and packs up pretty nicely. I comes with its own stuff sack and cleaning utensils but we usually leave those at home to save weight. We have it coupled up with a 20 oz bottle which is honestly overkill for anything under 4 days. It uses fuel very efficiently.
We have had the oppourtunity to use it at just over 12,000ft of elevation in 40 degree windy weather. The wind does get to it a little bit, but if you make a makeshift windscreen around it to keep the heat in, it works way better. Even at 12,000ft it boils a pot of water in about 2 minutes.
There is a supplied 1st stage valve that we keep connected to the bottle. The knob folds away for safekeeping. The gas tube slides in the valve and has a little retaining safety clip that clips over the valve.
Starting it up is pretty simple as long as you understand how it works. First you pump the valve up about 20 times or until it starts to get difficult. Second, you open the 1st stage (red) valve. Third, you open the 2nd stage valve (wire) and let a little pool of liquid gas into the cup then shut the wire valve. Fourth, light the string by the little cup and the fire will start. What’s happening now is the excess fuel is burning to heat up the cup around the burner. Once it is hot enough, the liquid fuel will convert to gas fuel and which is usable by this stove. Fifth, once the flame has burned down until it’s almost out, turn the wire valve back on. You should now have a nice blue flame going.
If you let the fire go out, you will either have to wait for the cup to cool and start this over again, OR you can VERY CAREFULLY get something that is on fire and stick it down into the cup and slowly turn the gas back on (if the cup is still hot enough to produce gas fuel.)
To shut it down, turn the red valve off and let the fire burn down until it is gone. Obviously, wait for it to cool before you try to pack it back in your pack.
We love this stove. We make coffee on it every morning on it and a nice dinner at night. Generally we even bring some instant hot chocolate to have as a midnight snack. I’d give it 5 out of 5 stars. I would purchase it again if need be.
Click here to purchase the MSR Dragonfly on Amazon!
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